Care worker ruled unfit to practise after assault hearing.

Panel rules male assistant who assaulted female colleague is unfit to practise due to misconduct

A Perthshire care home worker has been removed from his post following a hearing which found he sexually assaulted a female colleague.

Members of the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) ruled Laurence Baltazar’s fitness to practise in his job at Beech Manor Care Home, Blairgowrie, was impaired.

He had unzipped his trousers and brushed against the woman, attempted to kiss her and put his hands on her shoulder, pulled her trousers and underwear down, grabbed her and put his tongue inside her mouth, put his hand inside her tunic and touched her breast.

It was alleged Baltazar’s actions were sexually motivated and took place between December 2015 and February 2016. Baltazar, 44, no longer works at the home. The panel found all the allegations to be proved at a recent hearing in Dundee. Baltazar worked as a care assistant at the Blairgowrie care home run by Renaissance Care.

A report states the first incident occurred in December 2015 when Baltazar tried to kiss the woman.

He apologised and the woman didn’t report the matter. On February 3 2016, Baltazar massaged the female employee’s shoulders while they were in a resident’s room.

The SSSC was told Baltazar and the woman were in the process of changing a resident’s bed sheets and clothes when he turned her around and pulled her trousers and underwear down.

The report states: “The woman was so shocked by your actions that she did not scream out. She froze and didn’t react. Someone was coming down the corridor and you stopped, pulled up your trousers and said, ‘We’ll finish this later.’

“The woman turned around and you grabbed her face and tried to force your tongue in her mouth. You then put your hand in her tunic and touched her breast. The woman didn’t alert the person who was coming along the corridor and did not feel able to speak to anyone about what had happened.”

The panel heard she reported the latter incident 12 days later and Baltazar was made aware of the allegations against him by letter.

The SSSC panel was told Baltazar left the country at “short notice” following a meeting at which the allegations were put to him.

The report says Baltazar claimed the woman tried to kiss him and gave him the impression she wanted to do so. He told his employers he rejected the woman’s advances and that she had fabricated her account.

The panel didn’t accept his account and concluded that fitness to practise as a care assistant was impaired on the grounds of misconduct.

A spokesperson for Renaissance Care said: “This person is no longer a member of our staff.”

Baltazar was unavailable to comment.

The woman turned around and you grabbed her face and tried to force your tongue in her mouth. You then put your hand in her tunic and touched her breast